Improvements to the Idaho Reading Indicator Test Introduce New Features for Classrooms and Advanced Tools to Support Dyslexia Assessment, Powered by Amira Learning
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23, 2025 -- Amira Learning (Amira), the creator of the first and only proven Intelligent Reading Assistant for teachers and AI Reading Tutor for students, today announced that the Idaho Department of Education has selected Istation, now known as Amira Learning, as the approved vendor for the administration of the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI). The IRI is required of Idaho's public school students in kindergarten through third grades. It is administered twice during the school year, in the fall, and again in the spring. The IRI delivered by Istation includes offerings that will assist instructors in effectively assessing students with dyslexia.
"Early identification of reading challenges is imperative to every student's literacy journey," said Mark Angel, CEO of Amira Learning. "Istation, now backed with Amira's leading-edge AI, leads a successful screening program that has been unanimously approved in other states, including California and Georgia. Our screener enables early intervention, giving students the remediation they need to stay on track and not fall behind."
Istation, Idaho's IRI vendor since 2017, was once again selected as part of a selective bidding process to provide IRI in Idaho schools for the next five years under this renewed contract. The merged company is well-positioned to offer improvements and advancements in both technological features and content.
"The decision to go with Istation following its merger with Amira Learning offers our classrooms the consistency and proven effectiveness of the current IRI test along with a renewed sense of direction and improvements that are aligned with the evolving needs of Idaho's students," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield. "This partnership allows us to collaborate with a proven player while offering an option that addresses the evolving nature of student assessment in Idaho."
The ISIP assessment now includes significant enhancements to better support educators and students, including the introduction of criterion-referenced scoring to evaluate student performance against defined benchmarks. A new fluency section has been added to develop critical real-world reading and writing skills, while updates provide targeted support for assessing students with dyslexia. Additionally, the assessment features a required Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) section to effectively evaluate reading processing speed, ensuring early identification of reading challenges and improved intervention strategies.
"Assisting educators in addressing dyslexia has been an ongoing priority for the department, and earlier identification means more students will benefit from earlier interventions and assistance," said Critchfield. "The updated IRI assessment allows for more accurate identification of students who may be struggling. This tool will give educators another means of supporting students throughout their academic careers."
The current version of the IRI assessment will remain in place for the current school year. Then, the department will work closely with districts and charters to transition to the updated platform.
The department's Assessment and Accountability team will share details with local educators on training opportunities, implementation timelines and available resources in the coming months.
About Amira Learning
Amira Learning accelerates literacy outcomes by delivering the latest reading and neuroscience with AI. Propelling gains exceeding human tutoring, Amira is the only AI edtech validated by university and SEA efficacy research.
Amira's Intelligent Growth Engine seamlessly bridges assessment, instruction, and tutoring, powering a coherent instructional cycle centered on a district's chosen curriculum. Amira continuously identifies skill gaps, recommends individualized reading plans aligned with district curricula, and delivers 1:1 tutoring with real-time feedback.
Amira's unique ability to listen to students read aloud drives unprecedented growth, delivering an effect size of over 0.4. Trusted by more than 2,000 districts and schools worldwide, Amira is the intelligent assistant teachers need to turn students into motivated and masterful readers.
To learn more about Amira Learning, visit amiralearning.com.
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